Device for protecting piles or other timbers



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES CLARK, OF TACOMA, IVASHINGTON.

DEVICE FOR PROTECTING PILES OR OTHER TIMBERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,897, dated December3:), 1890.

Application filed November 25, 1889. Serial No. 331,494. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: 4

Be it known that 1, JAMES CLARK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Tacoma, in the con nty of Pierce and State of Washington,have invented a certain new and u eful Device for Protecting Piles orother Timbers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

It is well known that wooden structures submerged in salt-water aregreatly injured by the depred'ations of the toredo or shipworm. Thisworma speciesof the testaceous mollusk-by boring and penetrating suchstructures perforates them with small holes, through which the waterentering the grain and heart of the wood in a very short time softensand rots it to such an extent as to render it useless for the purposeint-ended. No remedy against this pest has heretofore been discovered;but it is believed that the new and useful device hereinafter describedwill be an effectual and sure protection against it.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure 1 isa perspective of a pile having my invention attached thereto. Fig. 2 isa perspective of my device detached from the pile. Fig. 3 is a plan ofone form of the block or float, showing the brush attachment.

A is a block or float, made of wood, cork, sheet metal, or any suitablematerial. It may be constructed in two sections a a, each having asemicircular cut made in one side corresponding to the circumference ofthe pile or timber it is designed to fit. The concave faces of thesesections a Cl, may be provided with stiff friction-brushes D, as shownin Fig. 3.

Depending vertically from the block or float A, on opposite sidesthereof, are rods 1) Z) of a length equal to the depth of the water atthe lowest tide. Attached to these rods 1) b at their lowerend and atsuitable intermediate points are metallic or other rings 0 c of a.diameter slightly larger than the pile they are designed to fit, and ofwhich may employ an y desired number. In place of the rods b b I may usea series of telescoping short rods, or I may employ chains.

In applying my device to a pile the rods 1) b, with the rings a 0attached, are first slipped over the pile, or the rings may he appliedin any convenient manner. The block or float A is then applied to thepile by fastening together the sections a a about it by metallic platesand screws, as shown, or otherwise. Therods b b are then attached to thefloat, and the device is complete. It is now obvious that as the tiderises and falls the block and rings will be carried up and down with it,and the result will be to scrape and clean the pile or other timber anddetach and throw ofl any foreign substances which may have becomeattached thereto.

The float or block A may be used on a single pile, or it may be madelarge enough to embrace several piles.

Having th us described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, 1s-

1. A protector for piles or other timber, consisting of a ring or shellsurrounding said pile or piles or other timber and free to move up anddown thereon by the motion of the water, said ring or shell being,provided with a roughened or brush-like surface on its interior face,substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a float surrounding the pile or other timber,of a ring or rings arranged below said float and secured in a pendentmanner thereto, substantially as de scribed.

3. A pile-protector consisting of a ring or shell surrounding the pileand free to move up and down thereon by the action of the water,substantially as described.

4. A pile-protector comprising one or more rings or shells surroundingthe pile and free to move thereon by the action of the water, incombination with a float, substantially as described.

I11 testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES CLARK. Witnesses:

CHAS. CARROLL, L. A. PALMER.

